Canadian electricity giant TransAlta has already agreed to shut down its coal-fired power plant in southwest Washington by 2025. But the company isn’t packing up and leaving. In fact, Wednesday the Alberta-based company opened its first US headquarters in Olympia.
Paul Taylor will head TransAlta’s US operations. He calls Washington’s capital city a “sweet spot” location for the company.
"It is important that we continue to build on our relationship with the state. But that’s part of it," Taylor says. "We also intend to build on relationships with the state of California and the state of Oregon. Our focus is on three states, four fuels and Olympia is a great place to build our growth base from."
Those four fuels are wind, hydropower, geothermal and natural gas. Taylor says the plan is to replace the Centralia coal plant with one powered by natural gas. TransAlta also has ten geothermal plants in southern California.
Governor Chris Gregoire attended Wednesday’s ribbon-cutting in Olympia.
On the Web:
TransAlta press release:
Gov. Gregoire's statement:
http://governor.wa.gov/news/news-view.asp?pressRelease=1794&newsType=1
TransAlta USA facts:
http://www.transalta.com/sites/default/files/TransAlta%20USA%20QuickFacts%20WEB.pdf
Copyright 2011 Northwest News Network
Copyright 2011 Northwest News Network
